


Green Tweed and Red Tape

by morticiacat



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Mystery, Other, Romance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 07:29:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3319139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morticiacat/pseuds/morticiacat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my first ever fanfiction story, so please have patience with me!  I am very open to constructive criticism but please be civil.  I'm dedicating this story to the writers I have enjoyed reading so much, and who have been very kind to me</p>
<p>This story introduces my original character, Myfanwy Jones, a reaper from Wales who transferred to London so long ago that her Welsh is now rusty and her accent is turning Cockney.  She is short, plump, a bit clumsy, and oddly unlucky. The greatest proof of her ill fortune is that she has fallen madly in love with the reaper least likely to ever see her in a romantic light:  Grell Sutcliff!  As Grell works out his community service, the friends uncover a mystery older than themselves.  But will solving it together bring Myfanwy the love she longs for?</p>
<p>Note:  Myfanwy is pronounced roughly "muh-van-wee" with the emphasis being on the second syllable.</p>
<p>I do not own any of the characters or settings from Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler.  They are the property of Yana Toboso.  I will make no money from this and write it purely for entertainment purposes.  Myfanwy Jones is my own character.  No stealing!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green Tweed and Red Tape

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xenobia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/gifts), [TiBun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiBun/gifts), [UnknownPaws](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownPaws/gifts), [DareDreemer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DareDreemer/gifts).



Myfanwy Jones removed a carrot-coloured curl from in front of her green glasses for what seemed like the millionth time and sighed. Would the day never end? She grumbled to herself aloud as she shuffled through the library, the inevitable heap of records teetering dangerously in her arms. Her plain brown loafers snagged on a rumpled carpet and suddenly she was flailing wildly as the precious death records lept from her grip and exploded through the air like paper fireworks. Myfanwy's hands shot out and managed to snag two errant volumes before they hit the floor, but her triumph was short-lived. In catching the books, she had lost her balance completely. She shut her eyes and prayed that her glasses would not be broken in the fall.

There was a whoosh of air and a pair of strong arms steadied her just in time. Amazed, Myfanwy opened her eyes and then grinned shyly at her rescuer. "Thank you, Mr. Sutcliff," she said, noting painfully that her Welsh accent was stronger than usual today. A blush almost as red as her crush's hair stained her cheeks as she awkwardly stood up again and gathered the scattered volumes. 

"That's Miss Sutcliff, as you very well know," the crimson reaper scolded.

"You missed one." He handed it to the plump librarian and giggled. "You better not let Mrs. Elton catch you juggling the books like that. She is so unreasonable." Taking Myfanwy by the arm and guiding her over to a table, he added, "I still don't think she's forgiven me for that little incident with that Phantomhive brat. You break just one little rule around here and they--"

"They throw the book at you?" Myfanwy couldn't help but laugh. One little rule indeed--Grell had offered to give classified information from cinematic records to a mortal child with a pet demon. It was a miracle he was allowed into the library at all, even if it was part of his penance. And then there was that business of illegal reaping...really, what in Heaven's name did she see in this lunatic?

"Just so." Grell narrowed his eyes, half-suspecting her of mockery. But then his own sense of injury overwhelmed him again and he threw his hand to his forehead, tossing his long tresses back dramatically. "When will it ever end? Day after day after bloody day of carrying books and sorting books and shelving books and removing books from the shelves! It is so boring! I shall go mad if I'm not allowed to reap again soon! Oh, the pain crushes so. Not only to be separated from my darling Will for days untold but to lose my scythe as well!" By now Grell was writhing on his stomach across the table. He clutched at Myfanwy's tweed jacket in despair, staring deeply into her eyes. "I am a delicate wild bird in a cage. Set me free, oh set me free!"

It was difficult to keep from smiling. Myfanwy found Grell's theatrics very entertaining, even endearing, though most thought "irritating" would be a better word. Alone in her flat at night she enjoyed replaying his more moving performances in her mind as she watered her plants. She knew, however, that a smile would bring calamity to herself and likely this entire wing of the library. Even without a death scythe at hand Grell was a vicious fighter.

Aloud she answered gently, "I would set you free if I could, Mr., I mean Miss Sutcliff. Goodness knows the records would be better off for it and we'd all get a lot more peace around here. But it is not my decision." The fact that she was lying through her teeth, that she would like to keep the beautiful crimson reaper under her eyes for as long as possible, she chose to keep hidden as deeply in her soul as it would fit.

"Muffy?" a strident voice interrupted. Myfanwy groaned inwardly and turned to face her boss. "Yes, Mrs. Elton?" she tried to sound respectful. Josephine Elton looked peeved, but then, when did she not? The tiny woman arched her thin eyebrows and began tapping her too-tall stiletto in annoyance. "Muffy, why is our disgusting...guest...draped across the table like a dead duck?"  
Myfanwy opened her mouth to answer but naturally Mrs. Elton gave her no chance. The librarians often joked that Mrs. E preferred her underlings to be seen and not heard.  
"Get this...thing," the senior librarian jerked her head towards Grell, "off of my polished surfaces at once! And stop dawdling about. You still haven't finished the inventory of Annex B and I am expected to turn it in by Friday. Well? "  
Myfanwy's face had flushed angrily. Grell slithered forward, hoping to see some fireworks. "Why don't you--" Myfanwy began before catching herself.  
"Yes? " Mrs. Elton raised her eyebrows so high that her hair now covered them.  
Myfanwy took a deep breath. "Why don't you go have yourself a cuppa? I will take care of everything here." She hoped she had saved the situation and waited for Mrs. E's reply nervously. What it would have been, however, only Mrs. Elton would ever know. For at that moment Grell slipped off the table in a whirlwind of red and hit his head on a chair.  
"Miss Sutcliff! Is it alright that you are?" Myfanwy rushed to assist the fallen reaper, who gave her a saucy wink that Myfanwy prayed her superior had not seen. "I think it's hurt he is, ma'am. Shall I call for help? "  
Grell decided to make the act more convincing. He sat up slowly, rubbing his forehead. "Who are you?" he asked in a dreamy voice. "Sir, " he addressed the astounded Mrs. Elton, "did you put all of these frogs in here?" He changed to a tone of despair and tugged at his hair wildly. " Someone make these bleedin frogs pipe down! I'm supposed to be writing this symphony." Myfanwy choked back a guffaw, turning it into a sneeze.  
Grell had an audience, and oh how he loved to have an audience! "The bears are coming," he suddenly whispered, eyes wide with fear. That was enough for Mrs. Elton.  
"Miffy, get that man down to the infirmary at once. In this state who knows what he'll do. What if he started eating records? I just know he'll ruin my polished surfaces!"  
"Miss Sutcliff, it's me, Myfanwy. It's taking you to the infirmary I am. Come, then. Up you get." Playing along was such fun. And Myfanwy soon found that it had an additional bonus. To her great delight and confusion, Grell Sutcliff embraced her violently.  
"I will protect you from the bears--I swear it! " he proclaimed. "They may try to grind your bones to make their bread, but I shall save you!" Myfanwy feared that her crush could hear the thundering of her heart, so she pull the still-attached red reaper toward the elevator. It was probably best , she reasoned to herself, to get the diva away from the growing crowd of gawking librarians before he got too carried away. "The bears won't find us in here," she told him just before the doors shut.  
They waited a whole floor before dissolving into hysterical laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Myfanwy's speech patterns switch back and forth between her native Welsh and the English she struggled so hard to learn. She's an older reaper, older than Grell, and will probably also use outdated words. Any Welsh or antiquated words/phrases I will put in the end notes.


End file.
